Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Surgery for September 2011. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Better Outcomes for Cervical Spine Arthroplasty Than Fusion
FRIDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- For treatment of single-level degenerative cervical disc disease, the use of cervical disc arthroplasty is associated with significantly superior outcomes at 48 months versus anterior cervical discectomy with fusion, according to a study published in the Sept. 21 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Doctors, Patients Identify Tacit Clues in Their Interactions
FRIDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Both doctors and patients identify tacit clues as well as judgments based on these clues during video elicitation interviews of health maintenance examinations, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Spinal MRI Reviewer Accuracy Equal Across Training Levels
FRIDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors at multiple levels of training can accurately and efficiently interpret the integrity of the posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) on spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to a study published in the August issue of The Spine Journal.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
High Risk of Salvage Transplant Failure Post Liver Resection
FRIDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Initial liver resection (LR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within Milan criteria (MC) is a valid treatment for patients with good liver function who develop recurrence within MC, but salvage transplantation (ST) has a high rate of failure for those with recurrence beyond MC, according to a study published online Sept. 19 in Hepatology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Three Weekly Hyaluronate Shots Improve Ankle Arthritis
THURSDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Three weekly intra-articular injections of hyaluronate are safe and effective for patients with unilateral ankle arthritis, according to a study published in the Sept. 21 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Stratified Care May Be Best Option for Back Pain Patients
THURSDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Stratifying back pain patients by prognosis may be more effective and less costly than a one-size-fits-all approach, according to research published online Sept. 29 in The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Fear of Childbirth Tied to Higher Odds of Cesarean Section
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency and elective cesarean sections (CS) are more common in women with a fear of childbirth, even after psychological counseling, according to a study published online July 24 in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica.
Abstract
Full Text
Elderly Recover Adequately After Cervical Laminoplasty
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Elderly patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) can benefit from laminoplasty and have adequate recoveries in terms of achieved Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores for cervical myelopathy, according to a study published online Sept. 8 in Spine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Calcineurin-Inhibitor-Sparing Regimens Improve Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Use of calciuneurin-inhibitor-sparing regimens immediately after kidney transplantation is associated with improved outcomes, including less delayed graft function, improved graft function, and less new-onset diabetes, according to a meta-analysis published online Sept. 23 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Operator Experience Tied to Carotid Stenting Mortality Risk
TUESDAY, Sept. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Carotid stenting in older patients performed by operators with low annual volume or less experience is associated with higher 30-day mortality risk, according to a study published in the Sept. 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
U.S. Docs Feel They Give More Patient Care Than Required
TUESDAY, Sept. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Many primary care physicians in the United States believe that their patients are receiving too much medical care, and that the pressure to do more than is necessary could be reduced by malpractice reform, adjusting financial incentives, and spending more time with patients, according to a study published in the Sept. 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Colorectal Cancer Subsite Risk Tied to Fruit/Vegetable Intake
TUESDAY, Sept. 27 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) associated with different fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption varies depending on the tumor location within the large bowel, according to a study published online Sept. 26 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Full Text
Reasons for Referral to Specific Docs Differ Among Physicians
TUESDAY, Sept. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Primary care physicians (PCPs) and medical and surgical specialists differ in their reasons for selecting specific colleagues for referrals, with PCPs more concerned about physician communication and medical record sharing than specialists, according to a study published online Sept. 16 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Updated Guides Compare Treatments for GERD
MONDAY, Sept. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Updated, evidence-based, reader-friendly reports comparing treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to help guide patient and physician decision-making in treating this condition that affects up to 4 percent of Americans.
More Information
Generic Tacrolimus Safe for Liver, Kidney Recipients
MONDAY, Sept. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who have undergone liver or kidney transplants may safely switch from brand-name to generic tacrolimus with no change in the indices of liver or kidney function or rejection, according to a study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Transplantation.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Stereotactic Radiosurgery Reasonable for Brain Mets
FRIDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Salvage stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a reasonable treatment for breast cancer brain metastases, with a median overall survival (OS) of more than nine months, according to a study published online Sept. 14 in Cancer.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Study Compares Great Saphenous Vein Insufficiency Therapies
THURSDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) and high ligation and stripping (HLS) are equally safe and effective in treating great saphenous vein (GSV) insufficiency, according to a study published online Sept. 19 in the Archives of Dermatology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Stroke Outcomes Similar With CT-Perfusion, Time Criteria
THURSDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with ischemic stroke, use of computed tomography perfusion (CTP)-based criteria for selecting patients for endovascular treatment has similar rates of functional outcome and intracranial hemorrhage compared to time-guided selection, according to a study published online Sept. 19 in the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Videos Prior to Spine Surgery Aid, Strengthen Patient Choices
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Watching an evidence-based videotape decision aid helps patients with lumbar spine disorders form and/or strengthen a treatment preference in a balanced, unbiased way, according to a study published online Aug. 15 in Spine.
Abstract
Full Text
Soft Tissue Sarcoma Therapy Limb Salvage Rate 81 Percent
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) and melphalan-based isolated limb perfusion (TM-ILP) therapy has a limb salvage rate of 81 percent in patients with locally advanced extremity soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) who would have otherwise undergone amputation, according to a study published online Sept. 19 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Mortality Up in Hospitals With More Minority Trauma Patients
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- The odds of in-hospital mortality for trauma patients are associated with the proportion of minority patients in the hospital, according to a study published online Sept. 19 in the Archives of Surgery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Model Predicts Erectile Function After Prostate Cancer Therapy
TUESDAY, Sept. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Erectile function two years after prostate cancer treatment can be predicted based on patient and treatment characteristics, according to a study published in the Sept. 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Platelet Reactivity Status Predicts Ischemic Event Risk
TUESDAY, Sept. 20 (HealthDay News) -- High residual platelet reactivity (HRPR) after clopidogrel loading is significantly associated with an increased risk of short- and long-term ischemic events in patients receiving platelet reactivity-guided antithrombotic medication after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to a study published in the Sept. 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Chronic Total Occlusion PCI Improves Outcomes in Diabetes
TUESDAY, Sept. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) is associated with reduced mortality and reduced need for coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Treatment Delays Identified in Regional STEMI Systems
TUESDAY, Sept. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment delays occur in standardized regional systems for transfer of patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) to receive primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with delays most frequently occurring at the referral hospital, PCI center, and during the transport process, according to a study published online Sept. 19 in Circulation.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Cold Ischemia Time Tied to Delayed Kidney Graft Function
MONDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Increasing cold ischemia time (CIT) in expanded-criteria donor (ECD) kidney pairs is a risk factor for delayed graft function (DGF), but has no effect on graft survival, according to a study published online Sept. 11 in the American Journal of Transplantation.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Work Intensity Similar Across Physician Specialties
MONDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- The level of physician work intensity appears to be similar among specialties, with variations in the specific dimensions of stress, physical demands, performance, and temporal demand, according to a study published online Sept. 3 in Medical Care.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Posterior Shoulder Dislocation Has Low Prevalence
MONDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Prevalence of posterior dislocation is low, with recurrent instability the most common complication after injury, and functional deficit persisting at two years after injury, according to a study published in the Sept. 7 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Racial Disparities in Radical Prostatectomy Decreasing
MONDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- The racial disparity in the utilization rates of minimally invasive radical prostatectomy (MIRP) in the United States is decreasing, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in Cancer.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Lineage-Restricted Stem Cells Regenerate Digit Tip in Mice
MONDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Lineage-restricted, tissue-resident stem cells are involved in the regeneration of the distal digits in mice, according to an experimental study published online Aug. 25 in Nature.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Liver X Receptor Agonist Ups Glioblastoma Cell Death
FRIDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Liver X receptor (LXR) agonists cause inducible degrader of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR)(IDOL)-mediated LDLR degradation and elevated expression of the ABCA1 cholesterol efflux transporter, which promotes cell death in a glioblastoma model, according to an experimental study published online Sept. 15 in Cancer Discovery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Thrombomodulin Gene Variants Up Post-CABG Mortality Risk
FRIDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic variants in the thrombomodulin gene (THBD) are independently associated with an increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, according to a study published in the Sept. 13 issue of Circulation.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Pre-Liver Transplant Serum Ferritin Level Predicts Mortality
FRIDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Elevated serum ferritin (SF) concentration in combination with low transferrin saturation (TFS) prior to liver transplantation (LT) is an independent predictor of mortality following transplantation, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in Hepatology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Global Rates of Breast, Cervical Cancer Up Over Last 20 Years
THURSDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The global incidence of breast and cervical cancer increased from 1980 to 2010, with breast cancer mortality rates increasing and cervical cancer mortality rates decreasing during the same period, according to a study published online Sept. 15 in The Lancet.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Surgery Effective for Subaxial Cervical Synovial Cysts
THURSDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Surgical resection can be an effective treatment for patients presenting with cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy who have a subaxial cervical synovial cyst with minimal postoperative complications, according to a study published in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Glare Disability Predicts Post-Cataract Surgery Visual Gains
THURSDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Preoperative questionnaire score and preoperative mesopic and photopic glare disability (GD) show significant correlation with improvements in visual functioning after surgery for symptomatic nonadvanced cataract, according to a study published in the September issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.
Abstract
Full Text
New Tiered Sharing Policy Suggested for Liver Transplants
THURSDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- An algorithm incorporating a national sharing policy with a tiered policy, such as the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), may reduce the number of wait-list deaths and organ travel distances, according to a study published in the September issue of Liver Transplantation.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Optic Radiation Delineated by Tractography During Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Optic radiation during anterior temporal lobe resection (ATLR) for refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) can be delineated by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography, and propagated onto postoperative images during neurosurgery, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in the Annals of Neurology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Mammography Screening Ups Breast Cancer Surgery Rates
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The annual rate of breast surgery increased significantly from 1993-1995 to 2005-2008 for women in Norway aged 50 to 69 years who were invited to undergo mammography screening, according to a study published online Sept. 13 in BMJ.
Abstract
Full Text
Congenital Heart Disease Ups Endotoxemia Risk in Children
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Children undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease are at an increased risk of intestinal mucosal injury, endotoxemia, and activation of endotoxin signaling pathways that are associated with adverse outcome, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Number of Lymph Nodes Tested for Colon CA Up 1988 to 2008
TUESDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- For patients treated surgically for colon cancer, the number of lymph nodes evaluated increased from 1988 to 2008; however, there was no significant increase in lymph node positivity during the same period, according to a study published in the Sept. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Aortic Dissection Incidence Higher in Individuals With BAV
TUESDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Aortic dissection incidence is higher in individuals with bicuspid aortic valves (BAVs) than in the general population, according to a study published in the Sept. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Supply Chain Optimization Feasible in Pediatric Hospitals
TUESDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Optimization of the supply chain process is feasible in a pediatric perioperative setting, according to a study published in the September issue of the AORN Journal.
Abstract
Full Text
Venlafaxine, Clonidine Reduce Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer
TUESDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Venlafaxine and clonidine effectively manage hot flashes in patients with breast cancer, with hot flash scores reducing more immediately with venlafaxine than clonidine, and reducing more significantly with clonidine during week 12 of treatment than with venlafaxine, according to a study published online Sept. 12 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Earlier Cancer Onset in Second Generation BRCA Carriers
MONDAY, Sept. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Women who are carriers of BRCA mutations for breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at an earlier age than members of the previous generation, according to a study published online Sept. 12 in Cancer.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Arterial Calcification Tied to Vascular Brain Disease
FRIDAY, Sept. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Arterial calcification in various vessel beds is associated with larger white matter lesion (WML) volume and the presence of cerebral infarcts, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
HPPH-Photodynamic Therapy Safe in Precancerous Barrett's
THURSDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 2-[1-hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a (HPPH) is safe with promising efficacy in precancerous lesions associated with Barrett's esophagus, according to a study published in the September issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Post-Breast Reduction Weight Loss Tied to Shape Discontent
THURSDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Most patients undergoing reduction mammaplasty before massive weight loss are initially satisfied with the results of breast appearance, but after weight loss, they are dissatisfied with the breast contour and shape, according to a study published in the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Full Text
Stenting Inferior to Aggressive Medical Management in Stroke
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Medical management alone is better at preventing recurrent stroke for patients with intracranial arterial stenosis than in combination with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS), according to a study published online Sept. 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial
No Reduction in Infections With Immediate Adenoidectomy
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Children who are selected for adenoidectomy for recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and undergo immediate adenoidectomy have the same number of infections per person-year as those who undergo an initial watchful watching, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in BMJ.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Medical Students Show Racial, Cultural Patient Preference
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Medical students may have a preferential bias toward whites and wealthier patients, but this does not appear to influence their clinical decision making or physician-patient interactions, according to a study published in the Sept. 7 medical education-themed issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Odds of Board Certification Vary in New Doctors
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Certification of recent U.S. medical school graduates by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) varies across specialties by educational and demographic factors, according to a study published in the Sept. 7 medical education-themed issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Many Hospital Staff Uniforms Contaminated With Bacteria
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- More than 60 percent of hospital staff uniforms are contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria, including drug-resistant species, according to a study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Training Protocols Do Not Affect Ventilation Knowledge
TUESDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- For first-time examinees of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), training in a high-intensity ventilator protocol environment does not correlate with worse knowledge about mechanical ventilation management compared to training in a low-intensity environment, according to a study published in the Sept. 7 medical education-themed issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
More Weight Loss for Duodenal Switch Than Gastric Bypass
TUESDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Duodenal switch results in greater reduction in body mass index (BMI) and total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol than gastric bypass, but has a higher rate of adverse events than gastric bypass, according to a study published in the Sept. 6 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
MRI Tumor Assessment Predicts Rectal Cancer Survival
FRIDAY, Sept. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of tumor regression grade (TRG) and circumferential resection margin (CRM) can be used to predict survival for good and poor responders in rectal cancer, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text
Fewer Male Infants Being Circumcised in U.S. Hospitals
THURSDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- The practice of circumcising newborn males in U.S. hospitals, which increased from the late 1980s to about 2000, appears to be on the wane, according to a report published in the Sept. 2 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Full Text
NPe6 May Beat Photofrin Photodynamic Therapy in Lung CA
THURSDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- NPe6-photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a better treatment for patients with lung cancer than photofrin-PDT, and the efficacy of PDT may improve based on individual expression status of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and breast cancer-resistant protein (BCRP), according to a study published online Aug. 23 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Traumatic Brain Injury Deaths Tied to Life Support Removal
THURSDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with traumatic brain injury, most deaths are associated with withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy, according to a study published online Aug. 29 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Dexamethasone Dose of >0.1 mg/kg Reduces Post-Op Pain
THURSDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Dexamethasone at doses of greater than 0.1 mg/kg decreases postoperative pain and reduces opioid consumption, according to a meta-analysis published in the September issue of Anesthesiology.
Abstract
Full Text
